Searching for a Bird Rewrite
by Hinata001
Summary: Rewrite of my original Searching for a Bird. Summary: Red Arrow wasn't a clone, he was. The mole was Robin the entire time. Five years later the real Robin is still missing amidst an alien invasion. The question is: How do you find a Bird who doesn't want to be found? Auld Acquaintance and Season 2 if things had happened differently.
1. Prologue

A.N: Welcome to the SfaB rewrite. I will be going through and reworking everything as I write Wings of Night (Dick's Prequel) and Crimson Wings (Tim's Prequel) as well as several new one-shots for this verse. I will _not _be deleting the original so those who want to read it still can.

This version will simply have more details, flashbacks and will stick more to the cannon of this specific verse. Most things will still say the same though. There will be mentions of the prequels and more expansion on everything, especially once the season picks up again in September. I may rewrite Slade's part depending on how he is introduced in the show.

I am still planning on doing the sequel, but that will not be until (again) September or later. I still have to wrap my head around the two (or more) little surprises from the epilogue and how they're going to fit into it.

_Note: This chapter takes place before the first chapter of Wings of Night and Crimson Wings, this story's prequels. _

Disclaimer: I do not own, end of story.

Ch. 1: Broken Wings

"We have reason to feel proud of yesterday's victories," Kaldur said, leading the team into Mount Justice. "But one thing has not changed."

"Somehow the Light is still getting inside information on us," Artemis said.

"Well at least we know none of us are the mole," Wally said.

"That is correct," Batman said. "The mole… was Robin."

They all gasped in shock as he brought up a hologram of his former partner.

"Robin!"/"No way!" Kaldur and Wally exclaimed. They had known their youngest team member for years. They had never thought he would be the mole. It was impossible.

"Batman that cannot be," Kaldur said. "He's your protégé. We have all known him for years."

"Unfortunately the Robin we have known for the last four years is another Project Cadmus clone," Red Tornado said.

"We've learned the real Robin was abducted and replaced soon after becoming my sidekick," Batman said. This caused Wally and Kaldur to narrow their eyes. Batman never called Robin his sidekick, ever. "The clone was preprogrammed with a drive to join the Justice League, which is why he tried his hardest to become leader of this team. This Robin had no idea he was a clone or a traitor, and his unconscious programming drove him to become League-worthy. When he was finally admitted, his secondary programming kicked in and he attempted to betray the League to Vandal Savage. Fortunately I had already deduced Robin was a clone. We were prepared."

"Savage was subdued, but Robin escaped," Red Tornado explained. "He is now a fugitive, armed and dangerous.

"If you guys hadn't rescued me from Cadmus …," Conner said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What, what happened to the real Robin?" Zatanna asked. The Team glanced at her sympathetically. It was obvious she had had a crush on Robin.

"We don't know," Batman answered. "He isn't at Cadmus. We have to face the possibility that the real Robin is dead."

"The clone Robin, the Team will find him," Kaldur said after a moment of silence.

"Negative," Batman replied. "Robin is a member of the Justice League now. Leave him to us." Batman shut off the hologram as a beep came through his earpiece. "I'm needed on the Watch Tower. Tornado, stay with the kids." With that Batman left the cave.

Zatanna rubbed her head and Kaldur turned to the Team. _"Clone or no clone, Robin is one of us. We will go after him,"_ he said telepathically.

(Okay, for the sake of my sanity I'm going to do a time skip here to after the battle. Assume everything goes the same but with Roy and Robin together when they are found with Robin being the clone and not Roy.)

He was the mole. Robin trembled in horror as he remembered what he had done. Everything that had happened was his fault. He had almost brought down the Justice League. Burying his head in his arms, he curled up into his bed in his room on the Watch Tower that he had had since Batman had first brought him here, years before the Team was formed. Right now he didn't know what to think about everything he had learned. He just wanted to forget, like he had after he had watched his family die. He hadn't been a child since that day. Now though, he felt exactly like the young boy who had watched his parents fall to their deaths in front of his eyes. Tears fell from his face as he buried his head into his pillow.

"You're still you, even if you are a clone," a familiar deep voice said, causing him to tense. HE felt a familiar hand rest on his back as his adoptive father sat beside him. "You're my son. Nothing can change that."

Robin blinked and turned, staring into the face of Bruce Wayne, not Batman.

"He never even got a chance to really be happy," Robin said. "He would have still been grieving over his, our parents." He stared at the wall behind Bruce, not looking at him. "He was only nine."

"Yes, but it still happened, Dick," Bruce said.

"Don't call me that!" Robin exclaimed.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "I doubt you want me to call you Richard," he said. He reached over and picked up something by Robin. He held it up to reveal Robin's mask. "and you're not Robin right now. So what should I call you?"

"I…I don't know," he said. "I'm not sure who I am anymore."

"That's okay. That's expected," Bruce said. "What's important is that you keep moving forward and find out the answers for yourself. In the end only you can decide who you are."

Robin finally met Bruce's blue eyes with his own.

"You did a great job today," Bruce said. "I guess I need to repair my as you called it "Whelmingly penetrable vault."

Robin chuckled weakly. "Yeah, sorry."

"Don't be. From what I can tell that little stunt saved the day and finally accomplished something we've been trying for months," Bruce said.

Robin stared at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"Last I checked two kryptonians were finally having a very much needed talk."

Robin grinned slightly. "Finally," he said. His expression darkened as the thought of his fellow clone brought his thoughts back to the one topic his father hadn't touched on. "He's most likely dead, isn't he?" Robin asked, already knowing the answer.

"That won't stop us from looking for him," Bruce said. "The Light underestimated one thing when they captured him. If he's anything like you he'll find a way to escape."

Robin nodded. "I hope you're right," he said.

Little did they know, right as those words were spoken a raven-haired boy opened his bright blue eyes for the first time in four years as the Light was moving his pod. It was time.


	2. Ch 1: Happy New Year

1/20/13 _AN: Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I've been working on other stories and focusing on college. But the good news is, because of the long delay, I now have a good grasp on everything and how I want to take this. _

_ P.S.: For those of you who like this story, I also have a story, The Grey Son, which focuses on Dick.___

_ Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. _

Searching for a Bird: Happy New Year (Dick)

**January 1, 2011**

_"The entire League was under Savage's spell for just over a day. We've accounted for most of that time but these six went missing for a full 16 hours we can't account for." _

_ "Sixteen hours, what did we do?" _

**January 1, 2016**

Five years had passed since that day. Dick had left the name of Robin behind. Now, Nightwing had been leading the Team for a year after spending most of the others in his new town of Blüdhaven. There had been two Robins after him but neither had been the original, the one he still searched for with all his passion.

Nightwing grinned as he defeated Lagoon Boy

"Neptune's Beard!" the Atlantean exclaimed, punching the floor. Nightwing walked up to him. "You did it to me again." Lagoon Boy took his hand and pulled himself up. "I don't care how many years you trained as Robin and then Nightwing. One of these days, you're mine, Chum."

"I don't doubt it Lagoon Boy," NIghtwing replied. The young Atlantean was nothing like Kaldur. Aqualad had been respectful and kind. La'gaan had a temper that Nightwing worried would get him into trouble one day as well as an ego that forced him to show off his relationship with M'gann whenever Superboy was in the room. If Kaldur were here, he would have had a long talk with his fellow Altantean and would have set him straight. Nightwing, however, just didn't have the right kind of patience or time for that at the moment.

**"Recognized: Superboy-B04, Miss Martian-B05, Bumblebee-B17, Beast Boy-B19, Robin-B20, Blue Beetle-B22."**

The reunion went as usual. Mal flirted with Bumblebee who had to rush to meet Dr. Palmer. Lagoon Boy kissed M'gaan causing Superboy to leave. Beast Boy and Blue Beetle left to take showers. Nightwing was left alone with Mal, Robin and the still kissing couple.

"Clayface is safely back in his Arkham cell," Robin said, walking up to him.

"Good work," he replied.

"I didn't do much," Robin replied with his usual humility. "I just…"

"Emergency Alert." Captain Atom announced, appearing on the main screen that had suddenly appeared.

Nightwing walked up to it along with the Team members that were in the room. Mal began to work on the miniature touch screen that had appeared below the huge screen.

"United Nations Headquarters is under attack," Captain Atom announced.

"Beta's only two blocks away," Mal told Nightwing.

"Captain Atom, the Team's Beta Squad is in the vicinity," he said. "ETA: 3 minutes." Hopefully Wonder Girl and Batgirl would be able to handle whatever was happening. He knew Batgirl would be able to, but Wonder Girl was still fresh and the situation would most likely call for them to split up so one of them (most likely Batgirl) could get any civilians to safety. Sighing mentally, he wondered how Batman had been able to handle it back when it was the original Team. Then again, there hadn't been as many of them and they hadn't had to split into squads until he had returned. By then, Wally, Artemis, Red Arrow, Zatanna and Rocket had already left. Then he had come back and become leader of a Team that barely knew him. Tula had died and Kaldur had left to be Nightwing's mole in the Light. He really had it bad.

**"See, see,"** he listened to G. Gordon say on the news two days later at the Cave. **"The big alien rips open the phony Secretary Zhang and pulls out a**_** little alien.**_**" The familiar face of one of the nosiest reporters next to Lois that Nightwing had ever known (not that he'd ever dare say that to her face) appeared on the screen. "Oh, I know what you're saying folks," Gordon said. "Good old G. Gordon's lost it."**

'Really, I didn't know you had telepathy,' Nightwing thought both seriously and sarcastically in amusement. 'Besides, I'm pretty sure you lost it a long time ago.'

"**What's this, the 8 billionth time he's run that clip?"**

'Feels like it,' he thought.

"**But, that's because I'm **_**trying **_**to wake…you…up."**

"Really, I didn't know I was asleep," Nightwing heard Robin mutter beside him just as he thought the same thing.

"Some nightmare then if _he's _in it," Nightwing added, grinning amusedly.

"**Turn and look at the person next to you," **Gordon said. Nightwing looked over to Robin, ignoring Batman on his other side. **"How can you be sure he or she is even human?"**

'Well, let's see, I babysat him a few times while I was in Gotham during Jason's reign as Robin. Plus, our mentor's Batman,' Nightwing thought. 'So yeah, pretty sure he's human.'

"**When is the almighty Justice League going to find a way to scan for these aliens,"** **Gordon continued**. **"Who exactly are they **_**trying **_**to protect?"**

'Sadly, scum like you,' he thought.

"**Okay, sure," Gordon said. "Superman and Manhunter from Mars seem to be on the side of the angels, but that's two aliens in the good column and two in the bad. Let's see if we can get some answers!"**

**The screen changed to show the outside of the Hall of Justice. **

"**Thank you Gordon," a female reporter said. "This is Cat Grant at the Hall of Justice. I'm going to try to get a statement from the two **_**newest **_**members of the League: Zatanna and Rocket." **

"**No comment," Zatanna said.**

"**Miss Grant, I have told you, the League will issue a statement soon," the League liason said, shutting the door on Grant after Zatanna and Rocket had entered. **

"**Did you see that folks," Gordon said as the screen returned to him, showing an image of the liaison. "That was League Public Liaison Officer Catherine Guvare(?) literally stonewalling GBS's own Cat Grant! What's the League hiding? We now provide safe haven for a **_**Kryptonian **_**and a **_**Martian**_** but what if that's not all? What if the Amazon's came from outer space, or the Atlanteans? How do we really know **_**Flash **_**isn't an alien...or Hawkman, or Icon? What are they keeping from the **_**real **_**Earthlings?"**

Nightwing's anger at Gordon's accusations faded as he listened, turning into amusement when Gordon mentioned the Amazon's and Atlanteans coming from space. When the reporter asked how they knew that Flash wasn't an alien, he was almost too busy trying to keep himself from collapsing into full-blown laughter that he almost didn't notice Gordon get Hawkman's status partially right. The Thanagarian had once been alien.

Beside him, he could hear Robin laughing so hard, the teen was clutching his ribs in pain. On his other side, he noted a small, amused smile from Batman. Once again, Nightwing was reminded why the idea of the Flash being an alien was so funny, especially when he knew the truth. It reminded him of Wally. The youngest speedster, with his eccentric personality and his ability to eat the entire contents of a fridge in one sitting, definitely seemed alien at first. Nightwing had known Wally and Flash though, long enough to have no doubts about their status as "Earthlings" as Gordon had put it. His best friend was probably laughing hysterically on his couch with his girlfriend, Artemis, right now after watching this. If Artemis wasn't laughing beside him, she would hear his laughter and enter the room, staring at the speedster as if he was crazy.

Turning his attention back to Robin, he noted how his second successor had stopped laughing and was now simply grinning like a mad man. It was odd to see that from the usual serious Robin, but it reminded Nightwing that his little brother had a secret, jokester side like his. Robin just hardly showed it.

"We're needed at the Watchtower," Batman said suddenly.

By _we, _Nightwing knew he meant just the two of them. Robin would stay behind. He sent an apologetic look to his brother before following Batman to the Zeta Tubes.

On the Watchtower, Nightwing noted everyone that was there. Superboy, Miss Martian, Captain Atom, The Green Lantern John, Martian Manhunter and a blonde scientist in a lab coat he recognized as Dr. Strange. They had arrived before Zatanna and Rocket, who were probably just now entering the Zeta Tubes in the Hall. Sure enough, the sound of the computer announcing their arrival filled the room a few seconds later.

"Big guy's Lobo," John said, referring to the screen which showed an image of the "big alien" as Gordon had referred to him as, that Wonder Girl and Batgirl had fought. "He's an intergalactic bounty hunter, extremely dangerous, but not likely to return."

That was a relief. Nightwing noted Zatanna and Rocket fully entering the room, but turned his attention back to John immediately.

"The little guy's another story," John said. "That's a Krolotean and Kroloteans _always_ travel in packs."

"Meaning more of them are on Earth," Batman said.

Of course, just what they needed, an alien invasion. Nightwing tried to remember what he knew about the Kroloteans, hoping his large, genomorph memory had something on them. No luck. There was only a small bit that he had learned under Batman. Their home world was Krolotea. They were thieves, scrounging off others' tech. The G-Gnomes had taught him nothing about them. That was alarming in itself. The total absence of any mention of them could only mean that they were somehow connected to the Light. Glancing over at Superboy, he could see his fellow clone coming to the same realization.

"I believe my friend may have vital information on that point," Martian Manhunter said. "Some of you have not met Adam Strange of Star Lab's Bardell initiative. He is the scientist responsible for maintaining the Zeta Beam technology we use for teleportation."

"_I was wondering why a stranger was allowed on the top-secret Watchtower," _Superboy said telepathically through the link Miss Martian had established.

"And he has a story to tell," Martain Manhunter continued.

"Uh, it's a little involved," Strange said. "I wish I had visual aids or something."

"I can assist you," Martian Manhunter said. Nightwing winced when he saw Strange flinch and raise a hand to his head at the establishing of the link.

"_We are all linked Adam," _Manhunter said. _"What you remember, we will see." _

"Uh, great?" Strange said aloud, sounding surprised and hesitant. _"Well, I was preforming a routine Zeta Tube upgrade when something went wrong and I found myself transported halfway across the galaxy to a planet called Ran. There was a scientist there, Sardac. He was conducting his own experiments in enhanced, very enhanced, Zeta Beam technology. It took weeks to establish even basic communication, but Sardac eventually made me understand, some of his Zeta tech, had been stolen."_

"Fit's the Krolotean MO," John said. "Their entire culture revolves around stolen tech." That fit with what little Nightwing knew of them.

"Sardac detected transmissions between a single location on Ran and multiple locations on Earth," Strange said, speaking out loud. "He was attempting to traces those when he accidentally transported me to Ran." Strange pulled something out of his coat pocket. "He gave me this." A yellow globe of the Earth appeared over his hand. "It detects trace Zeta radiation and can pinpoint all the locations where Kroloteans have beamed to Earth."

"Then I'm ordering a two-pronged attack," Captain Atom said, walking over to Strange. Nightwing stepped forward, prepared to decide who from the Team was going where. "We'll stage simultaneous raids on every Krolotean target on Earth. While a contingent of Leaguers travels to Ran with Strange here, to cut the Kroloteans off at the source."

Strange coughed and deactivated the globe. "We might have a problem with that second prong," he said. Strange messed with the device in his hand. "Totally unclear on the why, but Earthlings are persona non grata in Ran's corner of the galaxy." Nightwing's eyes widened in shock with the other's as pictures of Leaguers flickered above Strange's hand. "And these six Leaguers are wanted criminals."

"What?!" John exclaimed.

Horror rose up inside him as he counted and recognized each of the six specific Leaguers Strange had mentioned and was showing. He hoped desperately that he was wrong, but it matched up.

"Batman, it's the missing 16 hours!" he exclaimed to his mentor, whom he was now standing beside. This was his fault. He had been the one who starro-teched everyone in the League, including his mentor, and allowed Savage, Klarion and the rest of the Light to enter the Watchtower and use them as their puppets. He had feared something like this had happened, but he hadn't wanted to believe it until there was solid proof. Now, there was and he wished he had never known. This could only mean Batman, Superman and the others would be leaving Earth soon, leaving it vulnerable. That would leave him and Captain Atom as the leaders. Suddenly, he was very glad he had left the League. He would be needed here no matter how bad he would want to go with them.

"Agreed," Batman said. "Five years Vandal Savage took complete mental control of the entire Justice League. These exact six Leaguers went missing for 16 hours."

"It never even occurred to us that Vandal might have sent us into space," John said, walking up to Strange, who deactivated his device. "I'll alert Hal. He and Guy are on Oah with the Green Lantern Core."

"Meanwhile, we have 15 other active Leaguers to send to Ran to investigate," Captain Atom said.

Nightwing held back a response, knowing Strange would correct the League's leader.

"You're not getting it," Strange said, activating his device again, this time showing other Leaguers. "There's a planetary watch alert out on Ran for every Leaguer."

"Not all of us are Leaguers," Nightwing said, stepping forward again. "I can send a squad to handle the Ran end of things and to find out more about those missing sixteen hours, _without_, causing an intergalactic incident." Of course, that all depended on whether or not two of the three Team members he had decided to send could get along. He just hoped Beast Boy was up to the challenge of being a mediator for his "sister" and her ex-boyfriend.

"Do it," Captain Atom ordered.

Nightwing nodded. He and M'gann started walking towards the Zeta Tubes. A few seconds later, Superboy joined them. All three of them stopped as they found themselves faced by Zatanna and Roclet.

"_You know that thing about you not being Leaguers," _Zatanna said. _"You three still have an open invitation to…"_

"_We know Z,"_ Nightwing said.

"_But were all pretty happy…" _Megan added.

"_Where we are," _Superboy finished.

**January 4, 2016**

"It's all hands on deck," he told the Team. "The League and the Team will hit all 14 Krolotean Zeta locations simultaneously. Your proprieties are to destroy all Zeta Tubes or Platforms and search for any humans the aliens may have abducted. As always, Mal is ops manager, coordinating com. from here."

"Come on Alpha Squad,"La'gann said.

"Wonder Girl, you and I are Alpha," he said. He was amused by Wonder Girl and La'gaan's opposite reactions to his statement. "Assignment: Philadelphia. Batgirl and Bumblebee, you two and Wolf are Beta," he continued, ignoring Lagoon Boy's continuing comments. "Assignment: Vlatavastok." He turned to Robin. "Robin, Lag'aan, Beetle, you're Gamma. Prep the Bioship. You're heading to New Orleans."

"Gamma always gets the soft gigs," Lagoon Boy grumbled, walking away after Beetle.

Alone, Nightwing rested a hand on Robin's shoulder to stop him from leaving. Robin turned around and Nightwing pulled his hand back. "Tim, you'll be running Gamma," he told his brother.

Tim looked at him, shocked. "Me, Dick, I've never led a squad before?"

"Making this is a good opportunity to get your feet wet as a field leader," he replied.

"Because it's Gamma and we're not expecting trouble, or because we're stretched thin and you have no choice," Robin accused.

Nightwing flinched inwardly. He looked away from Robin for a moment as he thought of his other brothers that he had failed. He had this bad feeling that Gamma wouldn't have the "soft gig" this time. Looking back at Tim, he let himself be Dick Grayson for a moment. "Just don't die, okay," he told Tim whose eyes widened in understanding. Slipping back into his Nightwing persona, he became the leader once more. "And no unnecessary risks to the Team," he warned. "That's an order."

Philadelphia was a bust. "Alpha to Cave: One platform, now non-operational," he told Mal. "One Krolotean, escaped. Zero abductees."

"League Units are getting the same results. Ditto Beta," Mal replied.

Nightwing's heart dropped as he registered the lack of mention of Gamma. "And Gamma?" he asked, scared of the answer. It would be his fault if Tim died, if he lost the last of his brothers.

"Yeah, about them…." Mal replied, confirming his fears.

He was one of the last one's there, but not far enough away not to see the terrifying explosion of what must have been the Krolotean base. He shook in horror at the sight, thankful Sphere could pilot herself. He knew he, Batgirl, Bumblebee and Wonder Girl weren't fit to drive right now and Wolf definitely wasn't. As he blamed himself for what had happened, a part of himself reminded him that Robin might have survived the explosion.

Relief filled him as he saw Robin among the group floating in the water near the explosion. He watched Gamma exchange a glance and amusement filled him now that his terror was gone. "Dude," he said, then removed his hands from the handles and leaned over his part of the Supercycle/Sphere. "Way to get your feet wet," he said. This was definitely not what he had meant when he had told Robin that originally, yet he would take it over the alternative. At least he hadn't failed another brother.


	3. Chapter 2

_A.N: This is now Ch. 3 and has been rewritten to reflect the new changes as well as a few canonity mistakes. (Tim's Squad being Zeta instead of Gamma and Nightwing's flashback line). _

So, basically, Dick's babysitting of Tim will allow me a bit of leeway in Wings of Night and Crimson Waves. He didn't babysit him all the time, just a few times when he actually showed up to Gotham during the first five years after moving to Blüdhaven. Also, for Dick's schooling, I decided to have him take online classes for both the rest of his highschool and college. Same for Tim's missing classes. He still goes to school though. I couldn't have him skip out forever.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. _

Chapter 2:

Time changes people. Dick Grayson was no longer the scrawny, little kid he had been when he discovered that he was a clone. He had finally become the leader he was meant to be. Right now though he wasn't Nightwing leading the Team, he was Dick, and his focus was on his little brother.

Tim Drake, there was something about the raven haired, blue-eyed teen that reminded him so much of himself. Sure, there were obvious differences but the similarities were eerie. He didn't blame Bruce for accepting Tim or Jason. When he had quit as Robin he knew it would only be a matter of time before somebody else stepped in. Bruce wasn't a loner despite what those who knew Batman thought. That didn't mean he wasn't jealous, but his main worry had been losing another precious person.

When Jason had been killed, his worse fears had been realized. Today as he had watched the base explode, he was so scared that it would be the same. Then Tim's head had popped out of the water. He had been so relieved. The fear turned into amusement when Tim noticed them and the League and looked like he was about to be scolded. He knew he had to help him. He had leaned over the rim of the ship and smirked.

_"Dude, way to get your feet wet." _

It was his way of telling Tim and himself that everything was okay. It was over. He hadn't lost another brother and Tim had gotten the experience he had wanted him to. He didn't want to imagine what would have happened had Tm died. It would have been his fault. He had been the one to order him to go to New Orleans. He had made Tim Gamma Squad's leader. Shaking his head, he focused on the present.

"What are you doing squirt?" he asked, staring into his brother's room.

Tim looked up from his laptop. "Just recording what I learned from the base," he answered.

Dick nodded. "You did a good job today," he said. "You made a great leader."

Tim smiled. "Thanks." He frowned as something occurred to him. "You knew that the real base would be in New Orleans, didn't you?"

Dick smirked. "Maybe," he replied. He frowned when he noticed the look on Tim's face.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Before we left, you told me not to die," Tim said. "I know about your parents, Jason and Tula but it was more than that."

Dick sighed and sat next to Tim. "You're my little brother; of course I didn't want to lose you."

Tim shook his head. "But that's not all."

Dick looked at Tim. "You two would be the same age," he said. _If we had found him five years ago at Cadmus, _he added mentally.

"Who?" Tim asked.

"You know about what happened five years ago?" Dick asked.

"Savage took control of the League and you guys saved them," Tim said. "Six of them, disappeared for 16 hours though and you've never known what happened or where they went."

Dick nodded. "Yeah, but what you don't know is what how Savage and the Light were able to get onto the Watch Tower in the first place. There was a mole on the Team, me."

Tim stared at Dick in shock. "You, but that doesn't make any sense."

Dick shook his head. "It makes too much sense. I was Batman's partner. It was obvious I would join the League one day. And I did. I was the second youngest member after Billy at barely 14."

Tim looked confused. "But you've always refused joining it," he said.

"Because the one time I did, I almost brought the whole League down."

"How?" Tim asked.

Dick bowed his head. This was it. He was actually going to tell Tim the truth.

"When I was nine and barely staring out as Robin, I went out on patrol on my own. That day the Light kidnapped me and…" he closed his eyes. "They cloned me and replaced the real me so that no one would notice." His fists tightened. "I'm that clone."

Silence. "I know," Tim said.

Dick's eyes flew open and he stared at Tim in shock. "How?"

"I might have…sort of…hacked the Bat Computer," Tim said.

Dick chuckled. "Of course you did." That didn't surprise him one bit. His brother could hack circles around him.

"So you don't know what happened to him, the original Robin?" Tim asked with an almost odd sort of curiosity.

"No," Dick replied. "But before I returned here I found something, a sign that he was alive: a piece of paper."

"What did it say?" Tim asked.

Dick pulled out something from his pocket and opened it. Memories rushed back to him.

_**Flashback**_

_**Time: about 3-4 years after Season 1**_

_He was running. They had found him and killed his foster parents. The couple had been kind enough to take him in when he showed up on their doorstep one day, only ten. Years had passed and he had made sure he looked nothing like Dick Grayson. Still they had found him. Another family broken because of him. He held back the tears and kept running. He had to move forward and there was only one place he knew he was safe at._

_A blast of energy suddenly hit him from behind causing him to fall to the ground. He trembled, turning and staring in horror as several familiar figures walked towards him. _

Dick Grayson gasped as he woke inside his room in Wayne Manor. The dream had felt so real. He clung desperately to it, trying to remember any details but like always, they escaped him. The only thing he knew was that in it his original self was being chased and in great danger.

The reminder of his lost younger double made him cringe. They still hadn't found him. Babs and Bruce were convinced he was dead but Dick knew that he wasn't and he had proof. He had spent the last couple of years alone searching for him. He had found a home in Blüdhaven as Nightwing but he knew it would never replace this home. He had needed the break to discover who he really was. Through it all, he had never forgotten the Team.

He thought of what had brought him back here and cringed. Jason, his replacement and younger brother was dead, killed by the Joker. As much as he hadn't wanted to he knew that he was needed here. Bruce needed him.

He got dressed and made his way to the dining room. His eyes widened as he saw the familiar raven hair teenager sitting at the table. Familiar blue eyes met his and the boy's face turned serious before brightening into one of excitement.

"Tim?" he asked in shock, recognizing the teen he had once babysat.

"Hey Dick! Guess What? I'm the new Robin!" Tim exclaimed.

Another brother, another person to lose. Yet the brother he was looking for was still missing. His thoughts returned to his younger self and he put his hand in his pocket, clutching the piece of paper he had found with his own handwriting, remembering what it said, the words meaningless but still echoing in his head.

_**End Flashback**_

"Just three words," Dick said, returning to the present. "Crash the Mode."


End file.
